In the earliest days of the world, before cities rose and rivers were named, the sky was vast and silent, and the earth still glowed with the warmth of its creation. The Great Spirit Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent, descended from the heavens to walk among humans. He wished to know their struggles, to feel the dust on their feet, the hunger in their bellies, and the beating of their mortal hearts.
Disguised as a simple traveler, Quetzalcoatl crossed mountains and valleys beneath a brilliant sun that never seemed to rest. For days he walked, his sandals worn thin, his throat parched, and his body weary. Though divine, he had promised himself to live as one of the people, depending on the kindness of the world he had helped shape.
As the light began to fade into the first evening, Quetzalcoatl came to a quiet field where a small rabbit sat nibbling on tender blades of grass. The creature’s ears twitched when it saw the traveler, yet it did not run away. Instead, it watched him with curious eyes, sensing no danger in his presence.
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“You look tired, friend,” said the rabbit softly, for in those ancient days, all beings shared one language. “You have come far.”
Quetzalcoatl smiled faintly. “Yes, little one. I have traveled a long road, and now I find myself with no food, no water, and no shelter. I fear I may not last the night.”
The rabbit tilted its head. “If you are hungry,” it said after a moment, “you may eat me. I have little to offer, but it is all I have.”
For a moment, the wind itself seemed to pause. The traveler looked down at the small creature, whose heart beat bravely despite its trembling body. The rabbit’s offer was not born of fear, but of pure compassion, a gift given freely to ease another’s suffering.
Quetzalcoatl knelt, his eyes filled with tenderness. “You are willing to give your life for me, though I am a stranger?”
The rabbit nodded simply. “The world is vast, but kindness makes it smaller. If I can help you, even for a moment, then my life has meaning.”
The Great Spirit’s heart swelled with gratitude. He reached out his hand and gently lifted the rabbit, holding it close. “You have given me the greatest gift of all, not your body, but your spirit. I cannot eat you, for your kindness must never be forgotten.”
Rising, Quetzalcoatl gazed at the sky. The sun was sinking, and the first stars were beginning to awaken. He whispered ancient words, and a radiant light surrounded them both. The rabbit felt the air grow warm and still as the god raised him higher and higher until the clouds lay beneath them like soft blankets.
“Look down, little one,” said Quetzalcoatl. “See how small the world looks from here. Tonight, I give you a new home, one that will never fade.”
With that, he pressed the rabbit’s image upon the face of the moon, leaving its gentle shape etched forever in silver light. “Let all who look upon the night sky remember your kindness,” he said. “You will shine above them as a symbol of compassion and sacrifice.”
Then the god descended once more to the earth, his strength restored, his heart filled with peace. When he looked up, the rabbit’s form glowed softly against the glowing circle of the moon, ears alert, eyes calm, a guardian of night’s silence.
From that day onward, when people looked up at the moon, they saw not just a reflection of light, but a reflection of love. They told their children the story of the rabbit who offered himself to a weary traveler, teaching that no act of kindness is ever too small, and that true generosity leaves a mark that even time cannot erase.
And so, under the quiet glow of the moon, the people learned to see the divine in every living creature, and to honor the spirit of compassion that shines in all hearts, human or humble.
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Moral Lesson
True kindness needs no reward. Even the smallest act of compassion can light the darkest sky and be remembered for eternity.
Knowledge Check
1. Who was the traveler in disguise in this story?
The traveler was Quetzalcoatl, the Great Spirit and Feathered Serpent of Nahua mythology.
2. What did the rabbit offer to the traveler?
The rabbit offered himself as food to the weary traveler out of pure kindness.
3. Why did Quetzalcoatl place the rabbit on the moon?
To honor the rabbit’s compassion and ensure that his act of kindness would be remembered forever.
4. What symbol does the rabbit in the moon represent?
It represents selflessness, compassion, and the eternal power of kindness.
5. What lesson do the Nahua people draw from this tale?
That generosity, no matter how small, connects all beings and brings divine harmony.
6. How does this myth explain the marks seen on the moon?
The shapes on the moon are said to be the image of the rabbit, left there by Quetzalcoatl as a lasting symbol.
Source:
Adapted from Nahua oral traditions recorded in Legends of the Plumed Serpent: Nahua Myths and Folklore by Alfredo López Austin (1990), Mexico City: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Cultural Origin: Nahua (Central Mexico)
